New Rape Prevention Device

Published on August 31, 2005 By philomedy In Current Events

Link

Well, I've been gone for awhile, but here now I do make my glorious return.

(cue fanfare and adoring throngs)

It appears that South African inventors have come up with the "Rapex." No, it's not an aerosol spray that kills rapists on contact. Those are still called guns. What it is is a device that is inserted by a woman into the vagina if she senses she might be raped. If someone does attempt to rape her, the device effectively clamps onto the offenders penis and requires hospitalization to be removed.

Where to start?

First, it's not a bad concept. What better deterrent than excruciating pain, not to mention the greater risk of being caught if you need a hospital to get the thing off. This is the same reason guns help prevent crime. No one wants to be shot, and no one wants to tell the police what they were doing after the hospital reports the wound (at least not the ones that were committing the crime).

The only problem I see with the device is its awkwardness. Wouldn't women have to put the thing in before they left the house? And if you take into account how many rape victims know their attacker, wouldn't women have to leave the thing in all the time? Rationally, by the time you "sense" that you're going to be raped, it's probably too late to use any sort of device not in your immediate vicinity. It's hard enough to search through a purse for mace, or to run to another room for a gun or a knife; Imagine having to go get this thing, and then having to take your clothes off to put it on. Isn't undressing yourself in order to use the Rapex kind of doing the rapists job for him?

This is the biggest problem I see with this, although others have voiced other concerns. Some have voiced concerns about the implications for those falsely accused of rape, and others have said that this "normalizes" rape and puts the responsibility for stopping rape on women. I can see how the former might be a problem, but the I have to disagree with the latter. Do self-defense whistles and mace normalize crime? No, they just acknowledge that it exists, and work as modes of protection against it. It's the same for this device. And as far as putting the responsibility for rape prevention on women, I think its up to each and every one of us to protect ourselves further if we think the law an inadequate deterrent. People carry mace, and people carry guns. Both of these things put the responsibility of protection on the individual. That is not a bad thing. In the end, regardless of the law or of the police, you are the last line of defense you have.

As I said, I think that this device sounds awkward, and would be impractical in most situations. I have to applaud the concept, however.

Comments

TasT

on Aug 31, 2005

I think that this device could be used for those women that have to go through a rough area on a daily basis and the such but, it also opens a woman up to being quite vile if she is pissed at her lover...........

Dr Guy

on Aug 31, 2005

It would probably put the Loreena Bobbits out of business! But yea, it would have to be inserted before leaving home.

That being said, hopefully she does not get drunk and decide to do it with a guy and forgets. Or that rapists start checking for that first. I think the latter is a distinct possibilty.

schwarzmeecrob

on Aug 31, 2005

next thing you know rapists will use dildos to "test the grounds" first before they attack. its just another pointless, unfeasible idea by a feminist pig.

Moderateman

on Aug 31, 2005

MM approves this device now if we could just find something for the other ummm orifices?

ParaTed2k

on Aug 31, 2005

Interesting bit of passive resistance, but I would recommend either a debilitating kick to the offending apendage, or better yet... a humiliating shock from a tazer... both have a way of preventing the waste of human flesh from rising to the occasion.

Of course, a gun works too.

philomedy

on Aug 31, 2005

it also opens a woman up to being quite vile if she is pissed at her lover

Yeah, but so do a lot of other things.

That being said, hopefully she does not get drunk and decide to do it with a guy and forgets.

Yeah that would suck.

its just another pointless, unfeasible idea by a feminist pig.

If you're gonna be walking through dangerous areas, as TasT pointed out, it isn't so pointless.

MM approves this device now if we could just find something for the other ummm orifices?

I'm gonna leave that up to you

This would be the ultimate "last line" of defense, though, wouldn't it?

foreverserenity

on Sep 01, 2005

Phil I'm not sure how to respond to this...I'm thinking they need to come up with a better device. The implications and the problems involved with such a device is just too mind boggling to think about!

Lurkerer

on Sep 01, 2005

I think it's supposed to be good 'cause that's a place they wouldn't "search" for or expect someone to carry such device, but then again, I don't think rape can be expected in the first place, so that defeats the point. Besides, it's hard enough to defend yourself with other things, like you said, let alone something you have to insert in your vagina to do it. Hey maybe you can pretend to "want" the rape and when he's ready to "go in" you just quickly stick your fingers in there and put it in. lol I'm sorry, I know I'm being ridiculous, but it's only 'cause this whole thing seems to be too.

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